


Fill Your Heart

by Luv_Bowie_Luver



Series: Dream On [1]
Category: David Bowie (Musician), Dream On (TV 1990), Dream On (TV Series), Sir Roland Moorecock
Genre: F/M, Funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-04-20
Packaged: 2018-03-20 07:51:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3642471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luv_Bowie_Luver/pseuds/Luv_Bowie_Luver
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Working for Sir Roland Moorecock is both a frustrating and painful experience! He is rude, criticizing, condescending and hasn't a friend in the world. But even the rich need their homes cleaned every now and then, would YOU do it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Job Interview

From the TV series: Dream On (season 2: _The Second Greatest Story Ever Told_ )

 

**

  
Oh, Roland. Will you _ever_ change??

 

**

 

Natalie sat in her favorite armchair and stared at the television, munching on crisps and letting the world go by unnoticed. She'd lost her job - Again - so there wasn't anything else to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Of course she should probably look at the paper for a new job, but it was already 2pm and she was still in her nightgown and slippers. Job hunting could wait.  
  
  
_Knock-Knock._  
  
  
Natalie frowned and glanced towards the front door of her little apartment, who could that be?  She set down her crisp packet and stood up, brushing off the crumbs onto the floor. Nobody had phoned ahead and told her they'd be visiting today, so she was wary as she looked through the peep-hole in her door. It was the building manager, Natalie sighed and opened the door reluctantly.  
  
  
"I'll have your money by next week I swear," she told him, "I'm waiting on my last paycheck to arrive... "  
  
  
The manager was a chubby man, bald and red faced when he got mad - which was quite frequently.  
  
  
"See that you do," he gruffed, turning to go and knock on the next door down, "you've got 7 days, then you find somewhere else!"  
  
  
Natalie closed the door and walked over to the kitchen table, picked up the newspaper and began to look through the job advertisements. It wasn't easy to find something she'd be qualified for, it seemed that these days you practically had to have a doctorate just to vacuum someone's carpet! Smiling amusedly at her own joke, her gaze fell upon such an advert. It simply stated: House Cleaner Wanted and a phone number.  
  
  
It was a little unusual, but they weren't asking for experience or certificates, so she picked up the phone to arrange the interview.  
  
  
"Yes?" came a rather annoyed sounding voice on the other end of the line.  
  
  
"Hello," Natalie tried to sound professional, "I'm calling about the cleaning job and... "  
  
  
"When can you start?" asked the now bored sounding tone.  
  
  
"Um, well anytime you like," Natalie faltered, "but don't you want to interview me first?"  
  
  
There was a pause.  
  
  
"What do I need to interview you about?" he demanded, sounding quite angry now, "can you use a bloody vacuum cleaner or not??"  
  
  
Natalie's eyebrows raised, but she kept her cool.  
  
  
"Of course I can," she replied calmly.  
  
  
He sharply gave her the address and hung up in her ear.  
  
  
Natalie hung up, too and she sat back in disbelief. She would continue checking the paper for another job, this one was obviously not going to last long!


	2. Make Yourself Useful

  
The next day, Natalie turned up at the address she'd been given and she gaped at the huge mansion that stood before her.  
  
  
"This had better pay good," she muttered, walking up to the front door and ringing the doorbell, "it'd take weeks to clean it on my own!"  
  
  
The door opened after a few moments and she looked at the man who was now staring at her, he seemed to be waiting for her to speak first. She recognized him as Sir Roland Moorecock, she was a big fan of his films and his newest one had just hit the cinemas this week.  
  
  
"Um.. "  she started.  
  
  
He looked disappointed.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Ah," he spoke, "you _must_ be the _cleaner_."  
  
  
Natalie bit her tongue, _what an ass_....  
  
  
"Well don't just stand there," he told her, "people might think you're a sculpture."  
  
  
"Is that so bad?" Natalie asked him, thinking he was joking around with her.  
  
  
But Sir Roland did not smile.  
  
  
"Indeed," he looked her over, "they will think my _taste_ has gone to the _dogs_."  
  
  
He turned on his heel and walked over to the sofa, seating himself and picking up the newspaper - probably to read the latest reviews of his film.  
  
  
Natalie closed the door and looked around, but she couldn't see a single item out of place nor could she determine just where any dirt or mess might be hiding from her. She saw him slowly look at her over the top of his paper, slight confusion on his expression.  
  
  
"Well go on then," he prompted her.  
  
  
Natalie bit her bottom lip and hesitated, he rolled his eyes and slammed down his newspaper; causing her to jump.  
  
  
"I-I'll start upstairs," she said quickly, hurrying to the nearest staircase and running up them two steps at a time before he had the chance to speak again.  
  
  
Natalie walked around the mansion for what seemed like hours, she found nothing that needed cleaning or straightening or anything! He clearly lived alone and wasn't a messy person, even the bathrooms were immaculate. So why did he need her again? She supposed it didn't matter, so long as she got paid. He was mean, so she didn't feel bad about ripping him off at all.  
  
  
***  
  
  
For the next few weeks she turned up at his mansion, he would let her in and insult her choice of clothing, her hairstyle or her make-up and she'd go upstairs to avoid him for the entire day. She found that he never came looking for her, never questioned her when she asked for her paycheck and her cleaning was the only thing he actually didn't complain about. Not that she ever really did any, the whole mansion was perfect. So was the job, she quickly learned that she could do anything she liked and he was either oblivious to it or he just didn't mind.  
  
  
She took long soaks in his bathtub, she used his spa and swam in his pool. She helped herself to whatever she could find in his kitchen, she talked for hours on his phone and she took naps in whatever spare bedroom she felt like sleeping in. Avoiding Sir Roland in such a big place was easy, the few times she did run into him though, he always had something to chide her about. He belittled her clothing, mocked her if she spoke back to him and looked down his nose at her like she was a servant. But she got over that by pretending she was a princess in a huge castle, that this was actually _her_ home and sometimes she really did believe it.


	3. Moving In

One night, Natalie went back home to her apartment and looked around. Her neighbours had left the building one by one, all of them being replaced by some very unsavoury characters until she was the only decent person left. With a heavy sigh, she sat down on her bed and compared her life here to her life at work.  
  
  
*  
  
  
The next morning, Natalie walked out her door and had to run back inside. She locked her door, her heart hammering in her chest. Some men were outside brandishing knives at each other!  She had put up with this sort of thing for a long time now, but today she was finally fed up. Packing her things, she left the manager a note and headed for Sir Roland's mansion.  
  
  
The way she figured it, he paid so little attention to her that she could live in his home and he would barely even register her presence. It would be perfect for now, until she found somewhere else to live.  
  
  
All she had to do was avoid him like she always did, nothing could possibly go wrong!  
  
  
**  
  
  
Natalie had chosen her favorite spare room ages ago, so it was the first place she went once Sir Roland had let her inside. He didn't even question her about the huge bag she was carrying, just remarked on how ugly it was and that he never wanted to see it again. She was unpacking her clothes into the lovely, huge closet when she heard the doorbell sound. It was something she'd grown accustomed to, Sir Roland had frequent visitors to his home but none of them ever actually stayed for long.  
  
  
Most of them were just there to pitch an idea for a film, hoping he would take it up and do something with it. Others were handing him scripts they had written, with hopes that he would turn them into movies. It never ended well. That night, Natalie found him sitting at the table alone as he ate his dinner in silence. The chef came three times a day to prepare his meals, but even the chef never stayed longer than he had to. Natalie found herself thinking he must be terribly lonely, which made her feel a little sorry for him - Despite how he treated people.  
  
  
She thought that perhaps he was hurting and kept himself guarded against being hurt anymore, pushing everyone away to protect himself. To test this theory, she needed to be patient with him while she figured it out for herself. She slowly approached the table, he glanced up at her with a puzzled expression.  
  
  
"Are you still here?" he demanded, looking at Natalie with a grimace.  
  
  
"I thought I'd clear the tabe, sir," Natalie said quickly. He put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up.  
  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Natalie.  
  
  
"Lost my appetite," he grumbled and walked out of the dining hall.  
  
  
Natalie sighed and looked down at the uneaten portion of Sir Roland's meal, then glanced around to see if he'd come back for it.  
  
  
"No sense in wasting good food," she said to herself, sitting down to finish it off for him.  
  
  
She cleared the table, then washed up the dishes before heading to her bedroom.  
  
  
Passing by a bathroom, she heard the shower running and knew he'd be off to bed soon. That left her free to sleep in her bed without fear of being found out for at least one night, it was her hope that he would not notice her living here until she was ready to move out again.  
  
  
*  
  
  
Sometime in the night, Natalie heard a strange sound and she sat up in her bed. Her eyes were wide open in the pitch dark of her new room, her heart beating fast in her chest.  
  
  
"It's your first night," she whispered to herself, "there's nothing to be... "  
  
  
The noise came again and she froze, listening intently to try and decide what it was. Finally, she got out of bed and crept downstairs to find out. The kitchen was dimly lit up, as if someone had left the refrigerator door open. She was certain it was closed when she went to bed, but with a sigh she walked into the kitchen with the intention of shutting it anyway.  
  
  
"Oh!" Natalie startled, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.  
  
  
Sir Roland turned to look around at her, his eyes wide and his lips forming a very unimpressed thin line upon his face. He was naked and wearing a robe, but it was open so Natalie couldn't help checking him out.  
  
  
His last name certainly suited him _very well_ indeed...  
  
  
"I am SO sorry!" Natalie gasped, watching him casually tie his robe shut.  
  
  
"What the bloody _hell_ do you think you're doing?" he asked her, disbelief and mild rage in his tone.  
  
  
She didn't blame him one bit, _who could?_ She had to think fast.  
  
  
"If you're hungry, I am a great cook!" Natalie told him.  
  
  
He seemed to consider her proposal for a moment, he hadn't finished his dinner earlier and his chef wasn't due back til morning.  
  
  
"Make it quick," he glared at her, walking past her to seat himself at the table.  
  
  
"Maybe this will teach you to clean your plate," Natalie smiled at him, determined not to let him get to her.  
  
  
He lifted his chin, tilted his head and frowned.  
  
  
"Or perhaps it will teach you not to ruin my food with your _presence_ ," he bit back.  
  
  
Natalie fired up the oven, looking around at him.  
  
  
"Are you sure you want to eat something that _I've_ prepared, then?" she asked him, certain she'd shut him up.  
  
  
"I've visited places where there wasn't anything to eat except roasted _bugs_ ," he told her, "anything _you_ can cook, can't be any _worse_."  
  
  
Natalie pursed her lips and returned her attention to the oven, she decided to make him the best damned meal she could remember how to cook and surely then he'd shut his mouth.  
  
  
"Have you washed your hands?" he asked her, as she began to prepare his meal, "I don't want my food tasting like dish soap or toilet cleanser."  
  
  
"My hands are clean, sir," Natalie assured him.  
  
  
"Is it going to take long?" he asked her impatiently.  
  
  
"Just a few minutes," Natalie tried not to lose her calm.  
  
  
"Bloody _useless_!" he growled angrily.  
  
  
Natalie took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, but she was grateful for the silence that followed.  
  
  
She finished preparing the meal and looked at it with pride. When he tasted this dish, she would never hear him complain about her being around his food again! She put it onto a plate and made it look all nice and neat, presentation was key with fussy eaters. But as she turned around, her proud grin dropped from her smiling lips.  
  
  
Sir Roland was not there, _he'd gone back to bed_!  
  
  
Natalie swore loudly, threw the meal into the refrigerator and stormed off back to her own bed. She flung herself underneath the covers, angry tears stinging her eyes.  
  
  
She wasn't sure she could take this anymore, hurting or not; he had no right to treat her this way and tomorrow - She was going to let him know it...


	4. The Misunderstanding

After breakfast the next morning, while Sir Roland was taking his usual shower, Natalie crept into the kitchen and helped herself to some of the leftovers. The chef was a very nice man, who often made extra just for her to enjoy before he went home. She looked in the refrigerator to find that the plate she'd made up last night was missing, she smiled to herself as she realized that Sir Roland must have changed his mind and come back to eat it afterall.  
  
  
She washed up the dishes and took a walk around his mansion, taking notice of the art he had chosen to place around his home. She was looking in particular at the style of clothing the people wore in the paintings, at the colors that appeared most often and what kinds of magazines were found on his coffee tables. She wanted to know what his interests were outside of films, so she could try to talk to him on a more personal level. She also wanted to get herself some clothes that were more appealing to his taste, so he'd stop making fun of what she was wearing.  
  
  
Natalie knew it wasn't only her that he wasn't kind towards, Sir Roland was quite bitter to pretty much everyone. She had to wonder if he didn't realize, or if he simply didn't care?  
  
  
  
  
  
As she was flipping through one of the magazines, she glanced up as Sir Roland walked into the room. He stopped short when he noticed her, he looked irritated.  
  
  
"I'm pretty sure I am not paying you to read," he told her sharply.  
  
  
"I'm on my break," Natalie responded quietly.  
  
  
"Oh," he said, in a tone that sounded like he really didn't care at all what she was doing.  
  
  
He sat down and picked up the newspaper, an awkward silence filling the room.  
  
  
"Sir Roland," Natalie broke the silence after a while.  
  
  
He lowered the newspaper, slowly looking at her over the top of it.  
  
  
"If you're going to interrupt me," he warned her, "it had better be important!"  
  
  
Natalie felt her nerves failing her, but she took a deep breath and kept her chin up.  
  
  
"It is," she replied calmly, "I don't like the way you speak to me."  
  
  
His expression did not change.  
  
  
"Then I'll stop speaking to you," he said evenly, raising the paper back in front of his face.  
  
  
Natalie sighed, clearly he didn't get it.  
  
  
"That's not what I meant!" she stood up, "oh, just forget it... "  
  
  
She left the room angrily.  
  
  
**  
  
  
By lunchtime, there had been at least 15 doorbell rings and Natalie was starting to get curious about them. After Sir Roland had finished eating, Natalie found her usual spare portion set aside and ate it before washing up. The doorbell sounded once again and Natalie quickly made her way to the staircase, positioning herself where she could see and hear everything but not be noticed herself. Sir Roland marched impatiently over to the door and opened it, Natalie saw two gorgeous women standing there.  
  
  
They spoke for a short time and Sir Roland let them in, they sat down right where Natalie could observe everything perfectly. The two women were wearing clothes that would have shamed their mothers, their breasts almost spilling out of their tops. They were smiling and trying to flatter Sir Roland by complimenting his films, but he wasn't looking too interested. They told him they really wanted to be in his next movie and one of the women told him that she didn't mind getting naked in a film, as she put her hand on his thigh and gave it a squeeze. Natalie frowned, as did Sir Roland and she noticed him shift uncomfortably. The other woman stroked his cheek and Sir Roland stood up, causing the pair to fall onto each other unceremoniously.  
  
  
"Out," he demanded.  
  
  
They stood up and straightened themselves.  
  
  
"So, um, call us?" one of them asked him, a hopeful tone in her voice.  
  
  
"I wouldn't call you if you were my sick mother on her deathbed!" Sir Roland snapped, slamming the door in their faces.  
  
  
Natalie thought he was a little harsh, but then she had come to expect that from him. She was a little surprised though, people in his position often abused their power to entice women into their beds but Sir Roland didn't seem interested in such exploitation at all. Those girls were beautiful and all over him, he didn't even need to promise them a part in the movie yet he turned them away. He stood lighting up a cigarette, Natalie thought he looked very tense and she came down the stairs.  
  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked him.  
  
  
He looked at her and frowned, as if she'd asked him a stupid question and he wasn't sure how to respond.  
  
  
"I'm fine," he finally answered her.  
  
  
Natalie waited for the insult to follow, but none came. Encouraged, she walked a little closer to him and tried to ignore the expression of 'wtf'  on his face.  
  
  
"You seem stressed," she told him, "come and sit down, I know basic massage, if you'd like?"  
  
  
He looked at her hands like he might throw up, shook his head with a sigh and walked out of the room. Natalie leaned against the wall heavily, of course. He thought she was scrubbing toilets all day, why would he want her touching him? She _had_ to get him to change her job to something less disgusting...  
  
  
She left the mansion and went down to the shops, she had a very good idea of the style of clothing he was keen on and she'd seen all of his movies, so she knew which hairstyle she would get as well.


	5. Caught Out

She returned that afternoon in her new attire, big dark sunglasses and a newly styled hairdo. She found the front door locked, so she rang the doorbell and waited. The door opened and Sir Roland looked at her curiously, she smiled at him as she realized he didn't recognize her.  
  
  
"Yes?" he ventured uncertainly.  
  
  
"I'm your new house cleaner," Natalie reminded him. He looked quizzically at her.  
  
  
"I already have a cleaner," he shook his head slowly, then stepped back to shut the door on her.  
  
  
Natalie stopped the door from closing with her hand, pushing it open a little way.  
  
  
"It's me," she took off her sunglasses, "Natalie...  "  
  
  
He looked her over, apparently bewildered.  
  
  
"Something wrong?" she asked him smugly.  
  
  
"How about, _everything_?" he remarked coldly.  
  
  
" _What?_ " Natalie couldn't believe her ears.  
  
  
"You look _ridiculous_!" he grimaced at her, turned sharply and walked out of the room shaking his head slowly.  
  
  
Natalie blinked back the angry tears, determined not to let them fall and ruin her makeup. She quickly followed after him, finally locating him in a long hallway. She hurried to catch his arm, turning him around roughly to face her. He looked at her in silent rage, his lips pressed together.  
  
  
"I've had quite enough of your insolence!" he barked at her.  
  
  
"And I've had quite enough of your insults!"  Natalie raised her voice right back at him, "if you don't want me to walk out that door and never return, you are going to give me one compliment - right now."  
  
  
"Really," Sir Roland smirked at her.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Yes," Natalie folded her arms, "if you don't say one nice thing about me, I'm leaving. For good."  
  
  
He stared hard at her, perhaps she had gotten through to him this time.  
  
  
"Found somewhere else to sleep then?" he asked her.  
  
  
Natalie felt her cheeks flushing red, she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.  
  
  
_He knew?!_  
  
  
How long had he known?!  
  
  
He rolled his eyes, turned and left her standing there like a statue - And she felt quite the fool, too. But, what would happen now?  
  
  
**  
  
  
The next few days were quiet, Sir Roland was usually on the telephone with people who were wanting him to produce their films. Whenever he wasn't busy, he would read the newspaper, dine or shower. Sometimes he would have guests over, though Natalie couldn't imagine why anyone would accept the invitation only to have him insult them in one way or another. She had to guess that it was because he had so much money, or that he held so much sway in his position. Whatever kept them coming back, it certainly wasn't for the delightful dinner conversation.


	6. The Party

At one such gathering the next Saturday evening, Natalie plucked up enough courage to approach the only woman whom Sir Roland _hadn't_ complained about the way she was dressed. They started talking and before long, Natalie had to ask her.  
  
  
"How do you know what to wear so that Sir Roland doesn't point anything out?" she asked nicely.  
  
  
The woman, whose name was Dana, looked surprised.  
  
  
"Now that you mention it," she said, "he hasn't, has he?  I've finally got it right!"  
  
  
Natalie smiled, so she wasn't the only one trying...  
  
  
"Oh he'll love it today," a second woman joined them, "but he'll _hate it_ tomorrow!"  
  
  
They chuckled and moved away together, leaving Natalie feeling like she hadn't made any progress at all. She looked over at Sir Roland, who was talking to a man by the window. The man looked uneasy and his eyes flicked around the room quickly, clearly looking for an excuse to get away from whatever was being said to him. She caught his eye and smiled at him, the man looked relieved and turned to Sir Roland, obviously making his excuse and then he walked right over to Natalie.  
  
  
"Hi," he greeted her, "I haven't seen you before... "  
  
  
"I'm Natalie," she introduced herself.  
  
  
"Nate," he smiled at her.  
  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Natalie ventured.  
  
  
"You just saved my hide from a real whipping," Nate replied, "go ahead."  
  
  
Natalie laughed softly.  
  
  
"How do I get Sir Roland to like me?" Natalie asked him, "he is so mean to everyone, but there must be someone out there he _doesn't_ insult?"  
  
  
The man looked thoughtful for a while.  
  
  
"Well I'm drawing a blank," he told her with a shrug, "if you think he's cute, just tell him you like him... "  
  
  
He was called away before Natalie could tell him she only wanted to stop the insults, not to _date him_!  
  
  
A very attractive woman prowled over to Natalie then, looking her up and down.  
  
  
"You'd better steer clear of Sir Roland," she warned Natalie, "I suppose you want his money? Or get famous in one of his movies? Well get in line, because that's what _everybody_ wants!"  
  
  
She stuck her nose up, tossed her long, golden hair and swished away.  
  
  
Natalie's jaw dropped, but it did give her a tiny insight as to perhaps the reasoning behind Sir Roland's bad attitude. How could he ever be certain who was actually trying to be nice to him or just sucking up?  It must be very hard, she could understand his need to be guarded all the time. She sat down and sighed heavily, he probably thought Natalie was only using him for a place to live. Admittedly, she _had_ been up to this point. She was just as guilty as the swishy lady, who was now smiling suggestively and purring something in Sir Roland's ear.  
  
  
Natalie watched them for a while, smiling to herself when Sir Roland's face looked like he'd just pulled a wad of wet hair out of the shower drain. He spoke and the swishy lady stopped smiling, then Sir Roland walked away from her and Natalie quickly stood up when she realized he was approaching her.  
  
  
"I don't remember inviting _you_ ," he stopped in front of her, looking at her newest dress and latest hairstyle.  
  
  
"Oh, I-I thought there might be a spill or something," Natalie talked hurriedly, "you know, since I'm the cleaner and all... "  
  
  
Sir Roland, she noticed, _hadn't dissed her outfit_.  
  
  
"That's _forward_ thinking," he nodded approvingly, then he looked her over once more before excusing himself.  
  
  
Natalie couldn't stop the grin from breaking out, she was doing something right and her efforts had paid off. She glanced up, her smile faltering when she noticed swishy and her pals glaring at her from across the room. They didn't know she was just the house cleaner, for all they knew she was direct competition for Sir Roland's funds and fame. Natalie turned and left the party, she needed a quiet space to think alone for a while. She walked into the nearest room, away from the noise and chatterings.  
  
  
As she turned to enjoy the utter silence, she sucked in a sharp breath when she almost ran into Sir Roland.  
  
  
His brow raised at her, clearly unamused at her sudden appearance.  
  
  
"What is it?" he asked her stiffly.  
  
  
"Oh, I just... " Natalie fidgeted, "it's a bit crowded and I... "  
  
  
He shifted and Natalie fell silent.  He removed his dark shades, which he wore quite often and Natalie admired his unusual eyes.  
  
  
"Had to get away?" he questioned her. Natalie nodded, lowering her gaze.  
  
  
"Yeah," he smirked, "same."  
  
  
Natalie lifted her eyes to meet his.  
  
  
"You get anxious in a crowd, too?" she asked him.  
  
  
He frowned.  
  
  
"Of course not," he responded sharply, "it's their sheer stupidity that drives me off. I can't stand it, the entire IQ of the room dropped the moment they all set foot in it!"  
  
  
Natalie bit back a laugh, because he seemed so serious, he spoke as though he were merely stating a very annoying fact.  
  
  
"Then why invite them?" Natalie questioned him, as she recognized several of them from other events that Sir Roland had created.  
  
  
Sir Roland sipped his wine.  
  
  
"One can only take so much silence," he responded idly, "and quite frankly the company of-... "  
  
  
"If you're going to insult your payroll just now," Natalie cautioned him, "maybe you should think about it first... "  
  
  
Sir Roland tilted his head, not understanding what she meant.  
  
  
Natalie walked boldly over to him and took his wine glass from his hand, sat it down on the coffee table and made sure she had his full attention.  
  
  
"I'm not here to get your money," she told him outright, "I'm not here to get famous, I'm not trying to get to you. All I am here for is to do my job. I am grateful that you're allowing me to stay in one of your rooms, thank you. I am looking for my own place and a new job, because I know I'm not living up to your expectations. Please stop hurling abuse at me, I will be out of your way soon enough, got it?"  
  
  
She stared evenly at him, directing her pent up anger towards him after all this time.  
  
  
He said nothing to her in that moment, his expression was both confused and outraged.  
  
  
Natalie walked over to the door and opened it, she'd said what she had wanted to say.  
  
  
"Nat... " came his voice at last.  
  
  
Natalie hesitated and glanced back at Sir Roland curiously, he had never called her that before.  
  
  
He looked like he was about to say something more, but instead he turned away and Natalie left the room thinking he was so mad he couldn't even talk to her just now. She walked along a hallway until she came to another room, she stepped inside and sat down to bury her face into her hands and sob heavily.  
  
  
What was she _thinking_?!  
  
  
_Abusing_ him like that?  
  
  
Was she _trying_ to get fired??  
  
  
Did she _want_ to get kicked out onto the street??  
  
  
Natalie did not return to the party that evening, but she did go in afterwards and cleaned up after everyone had left. She showered and returned to her room to sleep, her heart still beating fast in fear of what Sir Roland would say to her the next time they happened to meet...


	7. Strange Behavior

It was a few days later when things changed, she had managed to avoid him until today. He was so busy with a new film he had agreed to produce and direct, Natalie barely saw him at all. Today it was raining very heavily, she found herself gazing out of the window absently at the dark clouds when he entered the room behind her. She turned around and her stomach flip-flopped, but she was ready for it.  
  
  
"I know what you're going to say," she beat him to it, "but don't worry, I've found a place of my own and I just need one more paycheck to... "  
  
  
She trailed off, because he wasn't looking at her and probably hadn't heard a thing she'd said.  
  
  
"Are you _listening_ to me?" she asked him.  
  
  
He shot her an angry look, pursed his lips and abruptly left the room.  
  
  
Natalie jumped, startled as the door slammed shut loudly. She stood staring in silence for a moment, that certainly had _not_ gone as planned...  
  
  
Natalie slowly exited the room, knowing the chef was downstairs preparing dinner for Sir Roland. She went down into the kitchen and the chef, Mark, smiled at her.  
  
  
"If you're trying to hide from Roland," he told her, "this is probably the _worst_ place you could think of, he's _always_ making sure I don't touch his food with my bare hands... "  
  
  
"Hey Mark," Natalie smiled back at him, "I'm not trying to hide, I just wanted to let you know I have found my own place."  
  
  
"Aw, you're leaving?" asked Mark, "pity, it won't be the same without your friendly face around."  
  
  
Natalie fidgeted.  
  
  
"Was there something else you wanted to tell me?" asked Mark, placing some dishes into the sink.  
  
  
"I think I really pissed Roland off," Natalie worried.  
  
  
Mark laughed heartily.  
  
  
"That isn't hard to do," he mused, "what's got you so worried?"  
  
  
Natalie shrugged.  
  
  
"I'm not sure," she admitted, "he... he's acting kinda strange."  
  
  
Mark stopped smiling.  
  
  
"Strange how?" he asked.  
  
  
"I don't know," Natalie furrowed her brow, "like, he won't talk to me anymore."  
  
  
Mark looked intrigued.  
  
  
"Fascinating," he remarked, "that's not like him at all."  
  
  
Natalie sighed with relief, so it wasn't just her imagination?  
  
  
"That's what I thought," she agreed, "but he's so mad at me, how can I find out what's wrong?"  
  
  
"Beats me," shrugged Mark, "I'm just the cook, I get in and I get out. I'm afraid you're on your own on this one."  
  
  
Natalie nodded, she understood.  
  
  
She got up and walked into the dining area, but Sir Roland wasn't sitting at the table.  
  
  
Odd.  
  
  
He was _never_ tardy...


	8. Under The Influence

She decided to go and look for him, they had to clear the air because she didn't want to leave on bad terms with him. As she wandered along the second floor hallway, a door opened and he stepped out of the bathroom wearing his robe. He turned towards her and she saw it was open at the top, exposing his well defined bare chest.  
  
  
"Hi," she greeted him nervously, as his gaze fell upon her.  
  
  
"What do you want now?" he asked her with a bored sigh in his tone.  
  
  
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry," Natalie told him.  
  
  
"For what?" he demanded, and Natalie expected him to now list all of the things she'd done wrong but he remained silent and stared at her expectantly.  
  
  
"I didn't mean to upset you," Natalie replied, "I would really like us to be friends... "  She held her breath, certain he was going to make fun of her.  
  
  
"That's not the way I see it," he remarked, raising a brow sharply, "you're no different than anybody else... "  
  
  
"Only I _am_ different," Natalie found her courage once more, "I don't want to get under your feet, you deserve your privacy. This is not my home, I should never have snuck in here and I am sorry. Why... Why didn't you kick me out?"  
  
  
It was Sir Roland's turn to look uncertain now, did he even have an answer for her? He was well within his rights to have her removed from his property, yet she was still standing there and she hadn't a clue why.  
  
  
"Have dinner with me," came his unexpected reply, "we'll talk about it some more."  
  
  
Natalie was surprised.  
  
  
"But you don't fraternize with the help," she reminded him.  
  
  
"I am well aware of that," Sir Roland lifted his chin, "I've just fired you."  He walked past her as her jaw dropped open.  
  
  
" _What?!_ " she demanded.  
  
  
"Oh don't worry," he glanced at her over his shoulder, "you'll get your _paycheck_... "  
  
  
He rounded the corner and Natalie was left alone once more, disbelief and anger written all over her face.  
  
  
She eventually made her way downstairs to join him for dinner, this wasn't over and she now had some more things to tell him!   She walked into the dining area and he stood up, dressed immaculately as always, pulling out a chair for her. She sat down and he seated himself again, watching her intently.  
  
  
"Why fire me?" she asked him outright.  
  
  
"I don't want you cleaning my home anymore," he told her firmly.  
  
  
Natalie sighed, she knew this day was coming but it still hurt.  
  
  
"So I guess I wasn't good enough to _scrub your toilets_ huh?" she asked him angrily, "how _dare_ you?"  
  
  
He smiled at her, clearly amused and it just made her angrier.  
  
  
"Now before you go getting yourself into a _tizzy_ ," Sir Roland spoke now, "hear me out?"  
  
  
Natalie narrowed her eyes, _this should be good_.  
  
  
"By all means!" she sat back and folded her arms, "unleash the insults, I'm ready for it... "  
  
  
Mark walked in and served the dinner, exiting quickly to avoid the silent tension between the pair. The interruption seemed to put sir Roland off the subject, so they ate quietly and then she followed him to the sofa to talk more privately. Natalie didn't want to listen to what he had to say about her, but she'd agreed to at least hear him out before she left.  
  
  
"I have done everything possible to make you happy," she said to him softly, "I am beginning to believe you are incapable of being pleased with anything!"  
  
  
"I hadn't noticed you were trying to impress me," he admitted.  
  
  
Natalie gave up.  
  
  
"Can we just get this over with?" she sighed, standing to her feet.  
  
  
He stood up, too and she braced herself for the inevitable... _Kiss?_  
  
  
Natalie's eyes grew wide as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss upon her lips, his hand coming up to touch her cheek gently. He studied her eyes for a moment, then he stepped back and began to walk away. Natalie stood in stunned silence, turning to watch him retreat into the hallway. She found her legs and started after him, catching his arm and turning him around to face her.  
  
  
After a moment's hesitation, they were soon embracing and kissing feverishly. His back was against the wall, his sunglasses fell to the ground and his tongue was in her mouth. Natalie moaned into the kiss, her eyes closing and her mind reeling.  
  
  
_Was this really happening?_  
  
  
_Had she fallen asleep and was now dreaming??_  
  
  
She loved the way he held her, the way his tongue tasted...  
  
  
She drew back, breaking the kiss to look at him with a puzzled expression.  
  
  
"Are you _tipsy?_ " she asked him.  
  
  
"Slightly," he replied honestly.  
  
  
Natalie touched his face gently, a little disappointed.  
  
  
"I can't do this," she stated.  
  
  
"Why not?" his brow furrowed as he asked.  
  
  
"You don't know what you're doing," Natalie replied, "it wouldn't be right... "  
  
  
"Utter nonsense!" he lifted his chin, "I _always_ know what I'm doing!"  
  
  
She couldn't help but smile at him, despite his offended expression.  
  
  
"I really do like you," Natalie leaned into him, "you know that, right?"  
  
  
"Nobody likes me," Sir Roland replied, "come on, what's the punchline? Where's the zing?"  
  
  
"I'm not setting you up for a laugh, Roland. You may think I am nobody," Natalie told him, "but whatever you think of me, I am somebody and I still like you."  
  
  
He frowned at her.  
  
  
" _Why?_ " he asked her in disbelief and she had to giggle at him.  
  
  
"So serious!" she teased him.  
  
  
"No, really," he insisted, "why?"  
  
  
Natalie shrugged.  
  
  
"Maybe I can see something you're trying to hide from the rest of the world," she whispered, kissing him.  
  
  
He kissed her back, eyes closed and arms tightening around her.  
  
  
As she drew back once more, gazing into his eyes; Natalie sighed happily.  
  
  
"Do you think we can make this work?" she asked him.  
  
  
"I'll never hear the end of it," he replied bluntly.  
  
  
Natalie's smile faded a little.  
  
  
"So you just want a one night fling?" she asked him.  
  
  
He stared hard into her eyes, then he tucked her hair behind her ear.  
  
  
"I've never met someone like you, Nat," Sir Roland told her, "you make me feel... _funny_."  
  
  
"That's probably the _scotch_ ," Natalie rolled her eyes.  
  
  
"No," he insisted, "whenever you're around... I want to be close to you, when you're not around; you are all I can think about... "  
  
  
Natalie's brows raised slowly, her mouth opened a little in shock. All this time she thought he was pushing her away because she annoyed or embarrassed him, but he was actually... in _love_ with her?  
  
  
"I had no idea," she covered her mouth with her hand.  
  
  
He pushed her hand away and stared heatedly at her parted lips.  
  
  
Natalie grabbed his jacket and pulled him into the nearest room, locking the door shut behind them...


	9. I Quit!

After breakfast the next morning, Natalie had her paycheck and her bag. She walked out the front doors and as she turned for one last look at the mansion, she noticed that Sir Roland had followed her outside. She set her bag down and walked over to him, he seemed to have a slight hangover.  
  
  
"So you're really going then?" he asked her. Natalie gave him a short nod.  
  
  
"I have to," she told him.  
  
  
"I don't see why," he bit back sharply.  
  
  
Natalie smiled.  
  
  
"What do you honestly think of our relationship, Roland?" she asked him.  
  
  
He paused for a time.  
  
  
"I could take it or leave it," he responded coldly.  
  
  
So it _was_ just the scotch talking afterall...  
  
  
"That's what I thought," Natalie said quietly, "unfortunately, it's just not good enough."  She touched his cheek with her fingertips.  
  
  
"Goodbye Roland," she said to him, turning and walking away.  
  
  
As she left with her bag, she passed by a man who was walking in to see Sir Roland.  
  
  
"That woman walking out of here looked kind of pissed off," the man said, approaching Roland, then he added sarcastically, "can't imagine _why_!"  
  
  
Sir Roland shrugged and gestured for him to go on in.

 

"Apparently it's something I _said_!"

  
  
  
  
  
**

  
=THE END=


End file.
